Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03. Common Council Minutes PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL CITY OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN APRIL 11, 2017 REGULAR MEETING held Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, City Hall Mayor Cummings presided. PRESENT: Council Members Caroline Panske, Benjamin Stepanek, Tom Pech Jr., Lori Palmeri, Steven Herman, Deb Allison-Aasby, and Mayor Steve Cummings ALSO PRESENT: Mark Rohloff, City Manager;Angela Joeckel, Deputy City Clerk;Lynn Lorenson, City Attorney; and James Rabe, Director of Public Works Council Member Panske read the Invocation. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mason Wolfgram from Webster Stanley Elementary School; and, Katana Wolfgram from Webster Stanley Middle School PRESENTATIONS Dean Smith, Chief of Police, recognized the retirement of Sony, a member of the K9 unit at the Oshkosh Police Department. He explained Sony was accompanied by Officer Brian Denor; the two worked together for over 6 years and experienced over 1,124 deployments. He stated his drug sniffing efforts had resulted in significant drug busts over the course of his career and had been instrumental in many solved crimes in the City. He explained Sony had been funded by a sole donor who supported Sony throughout his career. He wished Sony a happy retirement and explained he was now a family member of Officer Denor. Mayor Cummings presented Sony with a bone. Seth Wyman, Oshkosh4Education, explained Project Curb was the result of focus group meetings for the Oshkosh Area School District's (OASD) strategic plan. She explained it was noted the exterior of the schools did not reflect the image the school district would like in the community. She stated with minimal effort, the exterior conditions could be 1 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 improved. She explained the average age of Oshkosh schools was 78 years and some schools had challenges. She stated the hope was to make changes through a community event. She explained the kickoff was Thursday, April 271h at 6:30 p.m. located at the Webster Stanley Auditorium. She invited members of the public to join. She explained there would be sign-up sheets for volunteers to select projects. She stated on September 23rd, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. until noon,volunteers would work on the exteriors of 17 schools and the district office, completing the project in one day. She explained they had been working with Neighborworks, City staff, the Oshkosh Area School District and the Partners in Active Learning Support (PALS) program. She stated sign-up for the project would also be available online. She explained she had received offers of in-kind donations from several landscapers. She encouraged members of the community to participate. She thanked the City for allowing Oshkosh4Education to participate in decisions that impact school such as signage and roads. Council Member Panske questioned if the group was accepting donations for the project. Ms. Wyman stated one of their partners was the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, who would facilitate the ability to accept donations on their website as well as the OASD website. PUBLIC HEARING Resolution 17-173 Approve Final Resolution Regarding Revenue Bond Financing for Oshkosh Community Young Men's Christian Association, Inc MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Council Member Herman asked for an explanation of the resolution. Mr. Rohloff stated it was a financing project for which Council had approved the preliminary resolution in 2016. He explained it was a method by which community organizations, in this case the YMCA, were able to seek tax exempt financing, without it being an obligation of the City. He stated it would allow the YMCA to receive a favorable interest rate to continue work on their expansion project. 2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Council Member Herman questioned what the impact would be on the City's debt. Mr. Rohloff stated it would not have an impact on the City's debt. He explained it would be an obligation of the YMCA and not the City. CITIZEN STATEMENTS Peter Lang, 2300 White Swan Drive, explained he was a partner of Morgan Partners, which was the developer for the property located on Oregon Street and 61h Avenue. He stated the alternatives for the Jackson/Oregon Street Bridge project had been reviewed by multiple City committees and he understood several of the committees would recommend the alternative listed as'C1' or flyover bridge. He explained he was opposed to that option and believed it would represent a challenge to the downtown. He stated he believed the renderings provided by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WDOT) did not make it easy to picture the end result. He prepared a diagram of the option with a scale he believed was easier to understand. He explained the bridge itself, at the river walk, would have a 21 feet high retaining wall from ground surface to the road level. He stated it would extend 450 to the south before meeting grade at 61h Avenue. He explained it would be a quarter mile in total and he did not believe that scale was appropriate for a central City. He stated he understood Council was requesting the DOT to provide additional renderings and requested they consider the lifespan of the bridge, 80 to 100 years, and what was an appropriate fit for the central City. He thanked Council for their time and consideration. CONSENT AGENDA Report of Bills by the Finance Director Receipt of Claim filed with City's Insurance Company A) Justin & Krystal Yager for alleged damages related to special assessment charges Oshkosh Board of Canvass filing of the Official Statement of Votes Cast for the April 4, 2017 Election for Oshkosh Mayor declaring Steve Cummings as elected; and, for Oshkosh Common Council declaring Deb Allison-Aasby, Jake Krause & Tom Pech, Jr. as elected 3 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Resolution 17-174 Approve Initial Resolution for Special Assessments — Eveline Street (Ceape Avenue to Say Shore Drive) Council Member Herman stated the cost had not been listed in the 2017 CIP. He asked for an explanation of the repairs and what impact the cost would have on other projects within the CIP. Mr. Rabe explained there had been a storm sewer failure early in 2017 which resulted in a sink hole developing in Eveline Street. He stated City staff had patched the storm sewer to stop the sinkhole and then patched the street. He explained they televised the storm sewer and sanitary sewer, both of which were over 100 years old, and found imminent failures on both systems. He stated the water main was of an unknown age and had experienced breaks over time. He explained in addition to the need to immediately fix the storm and sanitary sewers, the water main would continue to fail if it was not addressed and therefore City staff had declared an emergency situation to repair the utilities. He stated he had met with the contractor who was the low bidder for contract 17-04 that would include Bayshore Drive and Lake Street which were immediately adjacent to Eveline Street, and the contractor agreed that his bid prices on the contract would stay the same if the City contracted him to complete the work on Eveline Street. He explained to replace the utilities would require the entire street surface to be removed. He stated the bids for paving contracts 17-04 and 17-05 along with favorable pricing there would be enough funds in the street section of the CIP to pave Eveline Street. He explained this was the initial resolution to assess the adjacent property owners in accordance with the City's special assessment policy for the paving restoration and any lateral work that would need to be done for the utilities. He stated in effect,it was adding Eveline Street to the existing reconstruction project. Council Member Herman questioned if the residents were aware of the project. Mr. Rabe stated City staff had a neighborhood meeting with the residents of Eveline Street and Carr Place, a dead-end street off of the end of Eveline Street, approximately two weeks ago. He explained it had been well attended; those present understood why the repairs needed to happen and did not object to the work. Council Member Palmeri questioned if the reconstruction of Eveline Street would take place prior to or after the reconstruction of Say Shore Drive. 4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Mr. Rabe stated City staff was working on the final schedule with the contractor and coordinating with scheduled neighborhood activities. He explained the schedule was still in progress although he expected the contractor would begin utility work on Eveline Street in June. Resolution 17-175 Award Sid to Lincoln Contractors Supply Inc. for Pavement Saw for the Street Division ($26,993.00) Resolution 17-176 Award Sid to Truck Country & Casper's Truck Equipment for Mason Truck Chassis & Body for the Street Division ($99,109.00) Resolution 17-177 Award Sid to Envirotech Equipment for Hot Mix Conveyance Unit for the Street Division ($32,286.00) Resolution 17-178 Award Sid to Lincoln Contractors Supply Inc. for IndustrialDouble Drum Vibratory Finish Roller for the Street Division ($22,600.00) Resolution 17-179 Approve Waiver of Purchasing Requirements for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus for Fire Department Resolution 17-180 Approve Land Sale on Atlas Avenue, Southwest Industrial Park, to Shawano Associates Inc. (est. $72,292.06) Resolution 17-181 Approve Sale of Surplus Park Property Adjacent to 1650 Villa Park Drive ($3,000.00) (Plan Commission Recommends Approval; Parks Advisory Board Recommends Approval) Resolution 17-182 Approve Amendment for Parking Lot Expansion for the Specific Implementation Plan for the Renovation Project at the YMCA / 324 Washington Avenue (Plan Commission Recommends Approval) Resolution 17-183 Authorize Submittal of Department of Natural Resources Stewardship Grants: (a) Riverwalk Improvements on Morgan District Property& (b)Renovation of Existing Riverwalk Adjacent to Leach Amphitheater 5 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Resolution 17-184 Approve Combination "Class B" License, Special Class "B" License & Operator Licenses MOTION: ADOPT CONSENT AGENDA (Allison-Aasby; second, Pech) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings ACTION TAKEN ON ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS Ordinance 17-185 Amend Various Sections of Chapter 6 Animals to Permit Beekeeping; Create Section 6-6.3 Urban Beekeeping (Sustainability Advisory Board Recommends Approval) MOTION: ADOPT (Stepanek; second, Palmeri MOTION: AMEND RESOLUTION TO CHANGE SECTION C (1)(b) to 24" depth (Pech; second, Allison-Aasby) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings VOTE ON AMENDED RESOLUTION CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Council Member Palmeri asked for an explanation of the revisions City staff had made to the ordinance. Elizabeth Williams, City Planner, explained at the first reading of the ordinance there had been items brought forward in need of clarification including the maximum hive dimensions. She stated Council would be able to include that revision within the ordinance with an amendment. Council Member Palmeri stated she was excited for future beekeepers to have the opportunity. 6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Mr. Rohloff stated if Council would like to include the clarification regarding hive dimensions they would need to make an amendment to the ordinance prior to making a final vote. Ordinance 17-186 Amend Various Sections of Chapter 30 Zoning Ordinance (Plan Commission Recommends Approval) MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Panske) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Council Member Palmeri requested an explanation of what was being changed. Darryn Burich, Planning Services Manager, explained as City staff had moved forward with amending the Chapter 30 Zoning Ordinance, they had uncovered portions that required updating. He stated when they had adopted a new code for cross access for multifamily developments they had neglected to bring some of the old provisions forward, certain uses in industrial districts were being changed and information regarding fencing was updated. He explained other amended items included electronic message boards and architectural design standards for new construction. Council Member Palmeri stated there was also an update to parking in driveways. Mr. Burich stated parking in driveways was an area that had already been addressed, and was not becoming more restrictive; the topic had not been pulled through from the previous ordinance and needed to be included. Council Member Palmeri stated it was her understanding that there were some future changes and modifications in process. Mr. Burich stated that was correct. He explained City staff would adjust quarterly as necessary although it would not result in major changes, only clarifications and refinements. He stated City staff had rewritten the entire 1997 code and despite efforts to proof it in its entirety,items may have been overlooked or required additional verbiage to clarify. He explained typically City staff revised a chapter at a time, therefore rewriting the entire code was a significant task. 7 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Council Member Palmeri stated she understood the new zoning code was available on the City website and questioned if City staff had plans to make it more user friendly and searchable. She gave an example of an individual looking for the boundaries of the university overlay, or searching for what was allowed in urban mixed use. Mr. Burich stated while he would like to see that happen, it would be difficult for IT to create that function as staff would need to hyperlink each word in the ordinance. Council Member Palmeri stated making the document searchable, as opposed to having to open each individual chapter, would be beneficial. Mr. Rohloff stated updating the website was one of his goals from Council and City staff would be identifying a proposal for what would be necessary to have that function and more. He explained if it was a capability that existed elsewhere it was an area the City would be able to pursue. He stated the zoning code was one of the largest features of the municipal code and making it searchable would be beneficial. Ordinance 17-187 Approve Bicycle Lane Restrictions MOTION: ADOPT (Panske; second, Allison-Aasby) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Council Member Palmeri stated within the ordinance, in reference to electronic personal assistance mobility devices, there was language that described as 'Segways'. She questioned if personal assistance mobility devices would include scooters and electric wheelchairs. Mr. Rohloff stated City staff had specified Segways due to a company planning to offer Segway tours this summer. Ms. Lorenson stated while the publication noticed specified Segways, the ordinance included all types of personal assistance mobility devices. Jim Collins, Director of Transportation, stated in the state statutes a Segway was identified as an electronic personal assistive mobility device. He explained there was 8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 nothing prohibiting other electronic personal assistive mobility devices such as a mobility scooter from utilizing the bike lanes. Council Member Palmeri stated a member of the Oshkosh Greater Mobility Coalition had requested clarification. Mr. Collins stated there was nothing in place to prohibit such mobility devices from utilizing bike lanes. Ordinance 17-188 Approve Zone Change / 460, 474 & 482 Marion Road / From UI- Urban Industrial & I-Institutional with a Planned Development Overlay to UMU-Urban Mixed Use with a Planned Development Overlay (Plan Commission Recommends Approval) FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES Ordinance 17-189 Re-Adopt Municipal Code Book FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES Resolution 17-190 Accept Gift of Rectangular Rapidly Flashing Beacons & Associated Signage from Oshkosh Corporation to be used for the Crosswalks on Waukau Avenue MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Jim Collins, Director of Transpiration, stated he had been contacted by Oshkosh Corporation in regards to options to improve the safety of their pedestrian crossings on Waukau Avenue. He explained the most popular option was rectangular rapidly flashing beacons and if Oshkosh Corporation would be willing to contribute towards the cost they could be installed. He stated City staff received numerous requests for beacons and flashers to increase the safety of crossings; when such requests were received they reviewed location usage, benefit to the public and budgetary implications. He explained Oshkosh Corporation had agreed to fund the beacons similar to how the University had been required to fund some of the improvements in their area and would donate the cost 9 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 of the infrastructure to the City. He stated Oshkosh Corporation had a representative present for questions. Council Member Herman thanked Oshkosh Corporation for promoting the safety of their employees with a beacon when the project did not necessarily meet the criteria for the City to take action. He explained that there had been an employee injured in an accident and he commended the corporation for taking action to help prevent further accidents. Resolution 17-191 Approve Amendment to 2017 Capital Improvement Program for Implementation of People of the Waters Exhibit MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Council Member Pech stated the 2017 CIP budget would be increased by $130,000 although he believed the increase would be offset by a $130,000 donation. Brad Larson, Museum Director, stated that was correct and the amendment to the CIP was to reflect the implementation of the portion of the project that would be completed with donations. Council Member Herman asked for a status update on the exhibit. Mr. Larson stated the installation should be complete by the end of June followed by two months of refinement and docent training prior to opening on September 5th, 2017. He explained the opening would extend for several weeks to allow the community to participate. Resolution 17-192 Approve Intergovernmental Agreement with East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to Accept Funds from Department of Defense & Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to Implement the Aviation/Aerospace Business Cluster MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings 10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Council Member Pech asked for an explanation of the project. Allen Davis, Director of Community Development, explained that over the past several years, the Department of Defense had funded City projects related to diversifying the City's economy. He stated this resolution was the implementation portion of the projects which focused on the aviation/aerospace cluster and building the talent pipeline, the supply chain and funding. He explained it would accomplish goals in the City's economic development realm through diversifying the economy and strengthening existing businesses. He stated the agreement came from the Department of Defense to the City who would then hire contractors for program implementation. Council Member Pech stated he appreciated that City staff was working with multiple partners on economic development activities. Mr. Davis agreed. Resolution 17-193 Approve Agreement with GO-EDC to Undertake Aerospace Niche Implementation Phase of the Aviation/Aerospace Business Cluster MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Allen Davis, Director of Community Development, explained the agreement represented the first contractor the City would hire to undertake the aerospace niche implementation phase that was related to maintenance/repair overhaul, additive manufacturing and talent upload. He stated Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation (GO- EDC) would implement the two niches and talent uploads for two years. He explained GO-EDC had met all of the requirements detailed in the request for proposal (RFP) process and the project was grant funded by the Department of Defense (DOD). Resolution 17-194 Approve Agreement with Angels on the Water for Creation of Aviation/Aerospace Fund Network MOTION: ADOPT (Panske; second, Allison-Aasby) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings 11 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Allen Davis, Director of Community Development, explained establishing the fund was part of the implementation of the DOD grant program and would help create a template for other airports in the Northeast Wisconsin region for furthering aviation/aerospace businesses with a focus on maintenance/repair overhaul and the additive manufacturers of the aviation niche. He stated Angels on the Water had submitted their proposal and met the requirements of the grant. He explained the funding would be paid for by the Department of Defense. Council Member Herman questioned what the matching fund requirements were. Mr. Davis stated the matching funds for the grant would be provided by the City and by Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation (GO-EDC) through staff time. Council Member Herman asked what the ultimate outcome of the fund would be. Mr. Davis stated the goal was to get more businesses that create aviation/aerospace jobs in Oshkosh and the region. He explained they would also like to broaden products that existing manufactures could provide to the aviation/aerospace industry and create more talent. He stated all three concepts were connected. Council Member Panske questioned if the advisory board mentioned within the resolution would be a City advisory board or a separate entity. Mr. Davis stated his expectation was that it would be a separate entity specific to the fund. Council Member Panske questioned if the position of 'fund manager' described would be employed by the City. Mr. Davis stated no; the employee would be hired and employed by the fund. 12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Resolution 17-195 Approve Agreement with UW-Oshkosh to Develop Programming for Manufacturers & Suppliers Supportive of the Aerospace Cluster Development Efforts MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Panske) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Allen Davis, Director of Community Development, stated the resolution was related to forums, panels and symposia that would be held at UW Oshkosh, related to aviation/aerospace that would take place during EAA and other parts of the year. He explained UW Oshkosh had worked with the Aero-Innovations program and other ways of continuing to further diversify and expand the City's aviation/aerospace businesses from the supplier and manufacturing side. He stated the program would be funded by the Department of Defense and the City would hire UW Oshkosh for implementation. Resolution 17-196 Approve Grant Agreement with Department of Transportation for a Transportation Economic Assistance Grant for the Transload Facility, Southwest Industrial Park MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Allen Davis, Director of Community Development, explained the transload facility was the result of significant work by many individuals. He stated the Wisconsin Department of Transportation had funding to help the City create the site which was a new type of facility within the market. He explained Wisconsin Southern Railroad would be able to bring train cars to the spurs to offload and load commodities; specific to Oshkosh Corporation they will be able to load their vehicles. He stated Watco would be able to load and unload other commodities such as steel, beams, gravel and lumber. He explained the first agreement was between the City and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for the $1 million grant and City staff would like to begin construction in 2017. Mayor Cummings stated it was an exciting project. 13 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Council Member Herman questioned if there had been any discussion related to removing the railroad spur from the present neighborhood. Mr. Davis stated Wisconsin Southern Railroad strongly believed that they needed to keep the spur all the way to Washburn to allow for the movement of train cars back and forth. He explained they would not do any transloading at the site although train cars would be parked there periodically. Council Member Herman questioned if citizens in the area had been made aware. Mr. Davis stated City staff had informed citizens that they were moving the transload site. Council Member Herman stated that there had been complaints regarding the loading and unloading at the site therefore he believed removing that portion would resolve most of the complaints. He explained he believed some citizens may have thought the entire spur would be removed and believed it was important for City staff to set the correct expectation. Mr. Rohloff stated the individuals he had conversations that lived in the Allerton Drive neighborhood were concerned about the loading/unloading that resulted in loud noise late at night. He explained he believed they understood there would still be some train car traffic. He stated he appreciated the hard work that Watco had done to improve the situation. Council Member Pech stated he was appreciative of Watco's work and City staff for partnering with the railroad. Mr. Davis stated he believed the last few projects demonstrated that the City partnered with several different entities for economic development. 14 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Resolution 17-197 Approve Industry Track Agreement, Facility Use Agreement, Lease Agreement & Development Agreement with Department of Transportation&WATCO/Transload Facility, Southwest Industrial Park MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Panske) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Allen Davis, Director of Community Development, explained the project was a public/private partnership and therefore there were several legal documents that would need to be approved. He stated the industry track and facility use agreement were required by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WDOT) to allow the spur to be built in compliance with the WDOT requirements. He explained the development and lease agreements were between the City and Watco to facilitate payment and matching funds for the project as well as lease the facility to Watco for 25 years. He stated it was important that the City own the facility and Watco operate it as that was a grant requirement. Council Member Herman asked for an exact location of the facility within the southwest industrial park. Mr. Davis presented a map and explained it was located where Global Parkway came to a dead end at the north side of the railroad tracks near other industrial sites such as Lee Company,Jay Manufacturing and 4imprint. He noted the proposed location on the north side of the railroad tracks gave Watco the opportunity to build facilities that would serve the transload facility; as part of the development agreement they were quested an option of 27 acres of land around the spurs to build other support and storage facilities. Council Member Herman questioned if the infrastructure was present or if the City would need to put in additional roads, sewers and sanitary sewers. Mr. Davis stated everything underground had been installed and there was a gravel road. He explained at some point they would need to install the concrete road. Mr. Rabe explained the concrete was typically installed three years after the installation of the utilities. He stated for this project that would occur in approximately 2 years. 15 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Council Member Herman questioned if Council would see that listed in a future CIP. Mr. Rabe stated it would appear as a future CIP line item through TIF 26. Mr. Davis stated it was TIF 23. Council Member Herman questioned if it would make sense to use a thicker type of concrete due to the type of heavy industrial traffic the road would receive. Mr. Rabe stated because it was an industrial park it would automatically be constructed to the truck standard of 8 inches of concrete payment, versus 7 inches for residential roads, and due to the projected loads City staff may make it even thicker. Council Member Herman questioned if that standard was in the City's municipal code. Mr. Rabe stated he was not certain. Council Member Herman stated he was curious. Mr. Rabe stated it was the City's engineering standard although he wasn't sure if it was a code requirement. Resolution 17-198 Approve Community Arts Project Lake Fly; Approve Agreements with Prospective Artists & Donors (Parks Advisory Board & Public Arts & Beautification Committee Recommend Approval) MOTION: ADOPT (Panske; second, Stepanek) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings 16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Resolution 17-199 Approve Professional Services Proposals to Tierney Brothers Inc. for Audio/Visual Upgrades & DRS Sound Inc. for Hearing Loop Upgrade for the Oshkosh Convention Center ($215,155.63) MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Stepanek) CARRIED: Ayes (6) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Noes (1) Palmeri Council Member Palmeri questioned if there was something wrong with the current hearing loop or if it had to be replaced due to the carpet replacement. John Fitzpatrick, Assistant City Manager, stated it was due to carpet replacement. He explained the hearing loop was placed on the floor and adhered with the carpet therefore when the carpet was replaced the hearing loop needed to be replaced. He stated there was a possibility of scoring the concrete and burying the hearing loop with some type of material although he believed the cost to that alternative would be prohibitive. Council Member Palmeri questioned if hearing loop technology was always installed via the floor or if there were other alternatives. Mr. Fitzpatrick stated he was not aware of another option with a comparable price. Resolution 17-200 Approve Settlement Agreement with the Estate of LuVern Kienast pertaining to Kienast Quarry Remediation MOTION: ADOPT (Allison-Aasby; second, Pech) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings Council Member Pech asked for an explanation of the settlement agreement. Ms. Lorenson stated in the past, the City had disposed of municipal garbage in part by filling quarries. She explained Kienast Quarry was located south of 171h Avenue near the Paulus Quarry and Quarry Park; the City had completed significant remediation at Quarry Park. She stated the City had done testing at the Kienast and Paulus Quarries, which were privately owned, and after communication with neighbors it was determined 17 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 that remediation was recommended in the area. She explained the settlement was in regards to the estate of Mr. Kienast,who owned the Kienast Quarry,which was identified as an area where methane gas was being generated. She stated the City had filed a claim with the estate for some contribution toward the remediation efforts and the resolution would approve the settlement. Council Member Pech stated he understood the cost of remediation may total $1 million to $1.5 million. He questioned if it was correct that although the funds for remediation had not been budgeted for, they were in the long term CIP. Mr. Rohloff stated that was correct. Council Member Pech stated the City had planned for the remediation and the settlement would help cover the costs. Mr. Rohloff stated the settlement exceeded his expectations. He explained it had been unclear what the size of the estate would be; when City staff had presented the remediation cost to the estate representatives it had been determined that although the City had used the site, the estate would also accept responsibility for remediation. He stated it was undetermined when the remediation would take place as there was pending engineering investigation. He explained when Mr. Kienast passed away there had been a small window for the City to pursue an agreement with the estate. COUNCIL DISCUSSION, DIRECTION TO CITY MANAGER &FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Mayor Cummings stated there would be an organizational Council meeting, Tuesday, April 181h at noon. Council Member Allison-Aasby questioned if there would be a photographer present. Mr. Rohloff stated there was public confusion when a new Council picture was not taken and there was a new Council member. He explained City staff was working to arrange for a photographer to be present at the meeting. Council Member Allison-Aasby requested that City staff review the special events policy, specifically section 7, to ensure that it was being applied to current event holders. She 18 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 asked that City staff also determine the fiscal impact on the 2017 budget related to current special events and those throughout the remainder of the year. Mr. Rohloff stated he believed Trena Larson, Director of Finance, was aware of the requests. He explained at a prior Council meeting, City staff had provided information demonstrating the financial impact of the City police and fire staff raises to be approximately $15,000. He stated Ms. Larson would gather additional information and report back to Council accordingly. Council Member Allison-Aasby stated she had communicated with Ms. Larson in regards to life insurance, workers compensation and unemployment insurance premiums being based on wages paid for the year. She explained she understood the concerns from special event holders regarding non-variable benefits, however, she stated certain benefits did vary based on wages. Mr. Rohloff stated the cost of those benefits were formula based. CITIZEN STATEMENTS TO COUNCIL There were no citizen statements to Council. CO UNCIL MEMBER ANNO UNCEMENTS & STATEMENTS There were no Council Member announcements or statements. CITY MANAGER ANNO UNCEMENT AND STATEMENTS Mr. Rohloff stated the foundation for the arena was being laid at the former Buckstaff property site. He explained City staff would continue to update Council as the project progressed throughout the spring. He stated he had a discussion with William Bertrand from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WDOT) in regards to the Jackson/Oregon Street Bridge and he did not have any additional renderings for Council. He explained he clarified with Mr. Bertrand that Council would like a ground level view rendering of the options which would be able to be accomplished through modifying photographs of the current conditions. He stated Mr. Rabe had provided the photographs to Mr. Bertrand for editing and City staff would provide Council with the 19 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 results when they became available. He explained the WDOT would like to get moving on the project; although the start date was 5 years away it was important to make sure it did not fall behind in the state's project list. He stated Mr. Bertrand explained there may not be a significant difference between the lift bridge and the flyover bridge, however, he informed him that Council would still like to see the visual representations prior to making a commitment on their recommendation. He stated his advice to Council was not in regards to which option they chose; it was to make a strong statement as the state was only taking Council's decision as a recommendation. He explained if it resulted in a 4-3 vote, the WDOT would perceive a message that they could choose any option, however, if Council provided a strong statement as to why they made their choice it may have a bigger impact. Mayor Cummings stated Council needed to consider the long term cost of the project. He explained the initial cost would range from $11 million to $35 million and the City would be responsible for the maintenance of the bridge during its 50-75 year lifespan. Mr. Rohloff stated Mr. Rabe was aware of the long term maintenance costs. He explained there was the option to rehabilitate the original bridge although the downside to that option would be it lacked the ability to add a river walk underpass similar to the one on Wisconsin Avenue. Mayor Cummings stated the state would only provide a plain, functional structure. He explained if citizens wanted the bridge to have more architectural appeal, the City would be responsible for that cost. Council Member Palmeri questioned if the City did not choose one of the higher alternatives to allow for an underpass, would there be an opportunity for a pedestrian overpass on Jackson Street, further in from the riverfront. Mr. Rohloff stated that would be a local option decision and they were expensive. He explained it would be an option Council could explore if they decided to select the bridge rehabilitation alternative. He stated the cost to pay for an item like that may be comparable to paying for the maintenance on the bridge as the standards necessary to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the amount of space required would be costly. He explained he had worked on the project for the flyover bridge in Grand Chute and the details associated with such a project were considerable. He stated it may cost between$1 and $2 million. 20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Council Member Herman stated if they decided to select rehabilitation of the existing bridge, technology was rapidly advancing and there may be significantly different options 25 years from now. He explained due to new developments in the Marion Road area the bridge choice may have an economic impact to that area and it was important to consider how the different options would blend into the central City plan. Mayor Cummings questioned if Council should be discussing the topic at this point in the meeting. Council Member Pech stated no. Mr. Rohloff stated he would provide a report to Council for further discussion. He explained City staff would be unveiling a new phone app in the near future called 'See, Click, Fix' that was being used in multiple communities throughout the country. He stated the app specific to Oshkosh was called 'Connect Oshkosh' and was intended to get citizen engagement and point out to City staff items that needed correction. He explained a citizen could identify an item, take a photo, and the GPS would identify the exact location of the item which would then be sent to the appropriate department. He stated examples included potholes, property maintenance concerns and rental unit concerns. He explained there would be a demonstration of the app at a future Council meeting. He stated it allowed other citizens to view the item and 'like' it, similar to Facebook and based on both feedback from other communities and demonstrations he believed it would be a valuable engagement tool. Council Member Pech stated in regards to the app being used for property concerns he believed it may result in disputes between neighbors. He questioned if any of the municipalities who had used the app had indicated that it could be used in a negative way. Mr. Rohloff stated that although it could, there was a way for the City to filter those reports if they got out of hand. Council Member Pech questioned if the user had to identify themselves. Mr. Rohloff stated there was an option to report anonymously. He explained City staff received anonymous phone calls and would approach anonymous app reports similarly. He stated there was a downside to any type of technology though he believed the app 21 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 would provide citizens an opportunity to point out concerns including cemetery, dead animals, excavations that had not been addressed, fallen trees, open manholes, parking on the grass, pothole pavement, property maintenance, rental housing issue, sewer backup and others. Council Member Palmeri questioned if the app had reporting capabilities. John Fitzpatrick, Assistant City Manager, stated there were reporting capabilities. He explained citizens would be able to submit a report with a name or anonymously and the GPS capabilities would provide the applicable department the exact location. He stated the app would show the progress on the reported item, how many other individuals had reported the item and when it was acted upon. He explained it was a great interactive tool for the public and City staff and information from the reports may be able to be integrated into future projects. Council Member Pech questioned if 'See, Click, Fix' could be used to push information, as a way of providing communications to citizens. Mr. Fitzpatrick stated there were several different interfaces on'See, Click, Fix' therefore there were multiple ways for citizens to connect with the City. He explained it was not a work order tool; it was a way for City staff to connect with the community. He stated City staff that had been involved in the onboarding of the project were excited about the app. He explained he believed it would be allow citizens to feel as though City staff was aware of their concerns, and improve communication to allow employees to be more efficient and responsive. Mr. Rohloff stated the City had completed emergency procedures to allow for the Irving Avenue closure at the Canadian National Railroad Crossing for repairs. Mr. Rabe indicated repairs were underway and should be complete in a timely manner. Council Member Pech stated he had individuals contact him regarding construction work taking place on New York Avenue in front of Merrill Middle School. He stated he believed that City staff had planned to minimize the work until the end of the school year. Mr. Rabe stated utility work would take place during school time while paving and restoration activities would take place outside of the school year. He explained it was not possible to construct the utilities and pave the road outside of school time. 22 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL—APRIL 11, 2017 Council Member Pech stated that was the explanation he had provided and he wanted to confirm with City staff. Mr. Rabe stated City staff had met with the school district on several occasions and had emphasized that they needed to complete the utilities, which would result in intermittent interruptions, although once the paving began there would be a lack of access. Council Member Pech stated one individual who had contacted him had explained that the crews were doing a great job of helping people get where they needed to be. Council Member Herman stated he understood the City notified citizens who would be affected by street repair that it was occurring. He questioned if there were any press releases related to construction on major streets, such as the closures on Irving and New York Avenues. Mr. Rabe stated the City required contractors to post signage a week in advance of construction in addition to notifying adjacent properties. He explained there had been a newsletter detailing the construction projects and the mailing lists were active. Council Member Herman asked for an explanation of how citizens could receive the information. Mr. Rohloff indicated that citizens could subscribe through a link on the City website and receive regular updates on New York Avenue. Mr. Rabe stated there was also a weekly traffic restriction and construction activity report that citizens could sign up for through a link on the City website. 23 Council Member Stepanek thanked Council and City staff. He explained it had been an honor to work with, learn from and serve with his colleagues. He stated Council and City staff were among the most dedicated people he had worked with. He thanked the citizens of Oshkosh for the opportunity and honor to serve the community. MOTION: RECESS UNTIL NOON ON APRIL 18, 2017 (Pech; second, Herman) CARRIED: Ayes (7) Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri, Herman, Allison-Aasby, Mayor Cummings The meeting recessed at 7:40 p.m. ANGELA J. JOECKEL DEPUTY CITY CLERK 24